China has achieved “three full coverages” in its relations with Central Asian countries: full coverage of comprehensive strategic partnerships, full coverage of efforts to build a community with a shared future at the bilateral level, and full coverage of Belt and Road cooperation documents.
China and Central Asian countries share the view that every country has the right to independently choose its path of development and governance model. They firmly support each other’s chosen development paths and governance models, oppose all forms of double standards, and reject interference in the internal affairs of other countries under any pretext.
China has provided strong backing for Central Asian countries to fend off infiltration by the three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism. Central Asian countries have become an important bulwark for China to maintain security and stability in its western regions. Together, they have formed an increasingly close community of shared security interests.
A memorandum of understanding on the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway was signed in 2022. Its feasibility study will be completed in the middle of this year, and the project is expected to enter the implementation phase within the year.
China and Central Asian countries have a millennia-long history of friendly exchanges, jointly composing the magnificent epic of the ancient Silk Road connecting the East and the West. Through the long course of history, amid the changes of the world, our times and history itself, China and Central Asian countries have explored a win-win path suited to their respective national conditions, becoming joint practitioners of the important vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind.
Over the past more than 30 years, on the basis of mutual respect and good-neighborliness, China and Central Asian countries have continuously deepened strategic mutual trust, enriched cooperation mechanisms and strengthened mutual friendship. At present, China and Central Asian countries are keenly aware that their cooperation is embracing historic new opportunities.
The China-Central Asia Summit was held in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, on May 18 and 19. China and the five Central Asian countries will firmly seize the new opportunities brought by the Summit, deliver more tangible outcomes from mutually beneficial cooperation, and build an even closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future.
The China-Europe Railway Express “Yiwu – 10th Anniversary Memorial Train for the Five Central Asian Countries”, loaded with 100 standard containers, whistled off from Yiwu West Station and headed for the five Central Asian countries (photographed on April 23, 2023). Photo by Hu Xiaofei / this journal
Remaining Calm Amid Changes, Regarding Each Other as Priority Partners
Over the past more than 30 years, the world has undergone profound and complex changes. Yet regardless of the shifting international landscape, China and Central Asian countries have always treated each other as a diplomatic priority. Their relations have gradually elevated from initial good-neighborly ties to strategic partnerships.
After the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, President Xi Jinping chose Central Asian countries for his first overseas visit from September 14 to 16, 2022, demonstrating China’s high priority on developing relations with Central Asian nations. During the visit, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev awarded President Xi Jinping the Order of the Golden Eagle, Kazakhstan’s highest honor; President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev conferred the Order of Supreme Friendship upon President Xi Jinping, the first time this medal had been awarded since its establishment. The conferment recognized President Xi Jinping’s personal contributions as well as the achievements of China-Kazakhstan and China-Uzbekistan relations over the past three decades.
Guided by top-level design, China has successively established strategic partnerships and signed treaties of friendship and cooperation with each Central Asian country since 2011.
At present, China has achieved “three full coverages” in its relations with Central Asian countries: full coverage of comprehensive strategic partnerships, full coverage of efforts to build a community with a shared future at the bilateral level, and full coverage of Belt and Road cooperation documents. This embodies high-level political mutual trust and lays a solid foundation for the next “golden 30 years” of China-Central Asia relations.
Mutual Trust and Mutual Assistance, Building a China-Central Asia Community with a Shared Future
On January 25, 2022, at the video summit marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the five Central Asian countries, President Xi Jinping stated: “No matter how the international landscape evolves and no matter how developed China becomes in the future, China will always be a trustworthy and reliable good neighbor, good partner, good friend and good brother for Central Asian countries.”
During multiple emergencies in Central Asian countries in 2022, China repeatedly voiced support for Central Asian governments to maintain stability and stop violence, firmly backing Central Asia in safeguarding its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. On issues concerning China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, Central Asian countries have also given firm support without hesitation. On the question of development paths, China and Central Asian countries agree that every country has the right to independently choose its path of development and governance model. They firmly support each other’s chosen paths and models, oppose all forms of double standards, and oppose interference in other countries’ internal affairs under any pretext. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, former President of Turkmenistan and current Chairman of the Upper House of Parliament, once wrote that the wisdom and vision of the leaders of the Communist Party of China have enabled the country to forge ahead firmly on the path of national rejuvenation in an environment of stability and confidence.
Following the principles of equal consultation, mutual understanding and mutual accommodation, China and Central Asian countries have successfully resolved sensitive and complex boundary issues, turning the more than 3,300 kilometers of shared borders into bonds of friendship and bridges for cooperation. This has consolidated the foundation for cooperation and offered a model for resolving similar issues in other regions of the world.
In combating the three forces that jeopardize regional security and stability, China and Central Asian countries have continuously deepened security cooperation, established cross-departmental and cross-regional security dialogue mechanisms, and maintained close communication on responding to regional security challenges. They have vigorously institutionalized law-enforcement and security cooperation, held regular bilateral and multilateral joint exercises and joint border patrols, maximally squeezed the operating space of the three forces and blocked their escape routes. On the Afghanistan issue, China and Central Asian countries have jointly promoted Afghanistan’s national reconciliation and peace process, and fought drug trafficking and cross-border crimes. China has provided strong backing for Central Asian countries to fend off infiltration by the three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism. Central Asian countries have become an important bulwark for China to maintain security and stability in its western regions. Together, they have formed an increasingly close community of shared security interests.
Win-win Cooperation for Common Development and Prosperity
China’s trade, investment and economic cooperation with Central Asian countries has achieved leapfrog development. China is the largest or major trading partner of Central Asian countries and their largest or major export market for goods. China is also the largest source of investment and financing for Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The volume of trade between China and Central Asian countries surged from several hundred million US dollars in the early days to 70.2 billion US dollars in 2022, an increase of over 100 times. China’s investment in Central Asian countries has also grown from nearly zero to nearly 40 billion US dollars.
Meanwhile, cooperation mechanisms between China and Central Asian countries have become increasingly diverse. China has established intergovernmental cooperation committees with all Central Asian countries. China and Kazakhstan have also set up a regular prime ministers’ meeting mechanism. In response to the demands of different countries, China has established more targeted cooperation mechanisms with relevant nations, such as the China-Tajikistan Agricultural Cooperation Committee and the China-Uzbekistan Poverty Reduction Cooperation Mechanism. These dialogue and cooperation mechanisms at various levels help enhance political mutual trust and remove obstacles to cooperation in a timely manner.
China boasts a complete range of industrial sectors and unique production capacity suited to the stage of economic development of Central Asian countries. Under the Belt and Road Initiative, a large number of cooperation projects have taken root in Central Asia. At present, China and Central Asian countries have identified dozens of key production capacity cooperation projects covering automobiles, energy, metallurgy, chemical engineering, pharmaceuticals and many other fields, with a total investment exceeding 20 billion US dollars. These projects will effectively ease the pressing difficulties facing Central Asian countries in their development and boost their industrialization and modernization drives.
Connectivity between China and Central Asian countries has reached an unprecedented level. Linked by mountains and rivers, China and Central Asian countries enjoy natural geographical advantages for cooperation. Currently, China and Central Asian countries are working to build an all-dimensional, three-dimensional connectivity network covering highways, railways, air routes and oil and gas pipelines. A memorandum of understanding on the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway was signed in 2022. Its feasibility study will be completed in the middle of this year, and the project is expected to enter the implementation phase within the year. The China-Kazakhstan Lianyungang Logistics Cooperation Base provides Central Asian products with an outlet to sail from the Pacific Ocean. More than 80 percent of China-Europe Railway Express trains passing through Central Asia serve as a convenient and efficient east-west logistics artery running across Eurasia, and even functioned as a lifeline during the COVID-19 pandemic.
China and Central Asian countries are focusing on green development for the future. While continuously expanding cooperation in trade, production capacity, connectivity, pandemic response, energy and food security, both sides will explore innovative cooperation areas including digital finance, cross-border e-commerce and green infrastructure, foster new growth drivers such as artificial intelligence, big data and renewable energy, strive to deliver more high-standard, sustainable and people-centered quality projects, elevate bilateral cooperation, promote the solid implementation of the Global Development Initiative, and make new contributions to boosting global economic recovery.
Deep Mutual Affinity, Consolidating Popular Support for Friendly Relations
Over more than 30 years of friendly exchanges, public perceptions of China among people in Central Asian countries have undergone tremendous changes. Despite instigation by external forces, good-neighborliness has remained the mainstream attitude toward China in Central Asian countries, and mutually beneficial cooperation constitutes an irreversible general trend in bilateral relations.
China-Central Asia people-to-people cooperation mechanisms have been steadily improved. China and the five Central Asian countries have all signed cultural cooperation agreements and implemented annual cultural cooperation plans. Exchanges between local governments, universities, think tanks, media organizations and art troupes are frequent, and cooperation in science and technology, medical care and tourism is thriving. The touching story of Chinese musician Xian Xinghai and Kazakh musician Bakhytzhan Baikadamov has been adapted for the screen. In the near future, China will work with Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan to set up cultural centers in each other’s territories to further elevate people-to-people exchanges.
Language serves as an important vehicle for connecting people’s hearts. At the beginning of diplomatic relations between China and Central Asian countries, few universities in China offered Central Asian language programs. Today, nearly 10 Chinese universities have launched courses on Central Asian languages. Among them, four have established Kazakhstan research centers and two have set up Kazakh language majors. Across Central Asia, the “China fever” and “Chinese language fever” keep rising. There are 13 Confucius Institutes and 24 Confucius Classrooms, and more than 20,000 students from Central Asian countries are studying in China.
Facilitation for people-to-people exchanges has also gradually improved. At present, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan offer 14-day and 10-day visa-free entry for Chinese tourists respectively. Going forward, China and Kazakhstan are expected to reach a mutual visa exemption agreement. The two countries also plan to set up consulates general in Xi’an and Aktobe respectively. Personnel exchanges between China and Central Asian countries are rebounding rapidly, and China-Central Asia tourism cooperation is poised for a bright future.
By Li Ziguo, Special Research Fellow of the Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy Research Center; Jing Xiaoyu, Assistant Research Fellow of the China Institute of International Studies Source: Outlook Weekly
